The New Priestess
by WhenDonkeysPranceLikePonies
Summary: A different take on Hawksong, in a 'What if the Mistari proposed a different way in ending the war' kind of story. DanicaXZane all the way. Chapter 7 now up! XD RxR if you can!
1. The Tale Within A Tale

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Hawksong or the Kiesha'ra series. Amelia Atwater-Rhodes does._

* * *

**The New Priestess**

_1. The Tale Within A Tale_

* * *

"Disa, the Serpiente have arrived..", the guard informed.

He found the Mistari Disa staring out of one of the balcony windows at the setting sun, her wise eyes tinkling with secrecy. She turned towards him, her strawberry-blonde hair glinting in the last remaining rays of the afternoon sun, and smiled. Without saying a word, she glided back gracefully into the lobby to greet her guests, as graceful as a tiger can be.

"Charis! Such a pleasant surprise to see you!", her dulcet tones called out. "And your lovely family too!"

The Serpiente pretty much resembled one another with their pale complexions and elegance, well-known for their trademark of being one of the most beautiful species of shape-shifters. Their jewel-toned eyes all focused upon the Mistari herself, as she graced them with her presence.

"Please, it was of our request that you help us hold this meeting..if it weren't for you, I don't think the avians would have ever accepted the offer in the first place..", the present Naga of the whole clan spoke. "After all, it depended on the choice of the future queen of the avians, their only heir to the throne, I heard....although for some reason, Zane seemed to be entirely sure of himself that she would accept it.".

At her words, the eldest of her children looked away, as if to conceal his amusement.

The Disa's eyes warmed at the gesture, and said, "There is no need to thank me, for it is of our greatest concerns that most wars be put to stop. However, I believe you have arrived two days earlier than expected. Your meeting was arranged to be on the night of the new moon, was it not?"

"Really?", one of the guards spoke up. "So we had to rush along the whole way for nothing?". She and the other guard had platinum blond hair and a set of piercing green eyes, as opposed to the jet-black hair and garnet eyes the Cobrianas possessed.

The Disa glanced at her, and smiled once more. "The paths leading to our palace are enticed with magical spells put upon them centuries ago..it is of no surprise to us that it has shortened or changed in any way before the event of the new moon."

With that explanation, she walked towards the door, only turning back to motion the rest of them along. "Come...there is much for you to know.".

* * *

Not knowing what else to do, the Serpiente followed her through the door to the corridor, where the Disa started to tell them the story they needed to hear.

"You know, the serpiente legend has always amazed me ever since I heard of the story. The Dasi, the high priestess, the invasion of Leben, and the formation of the serpiente's second form of a serpent--truly one of the most enthralling stories I've ever heard.", she said, as she marched on through corridor after corridor.

The Serpiente were too busy trying to keep up with her and avoid bumping into others along the way to make any comment.

"Where is this woman taking us, Zane?", the female guard asked in a hiss, annoyed as she narrowly missed tripping over a random object on the floor.

Zane didn't answer, hoping that the Disa might be the one to explain.

Nevertheless, she went on as if she hadn't heard anyone protesting, and said, "Of course, what makes a story so interesting is when there's a story _within_ the story..".

"I beg your pardon?", Irene asked, not needing to rush like the others since the people in the palace seemed to move out of her way when she was walking through. Unbeknownst to her or the rest of the Serpiente guests, news of her unborn child spread like wildfire throughout the tigers' headquarters; pregnancies being one of the most celebrated occasions in the Mistari lands.

At her question, the Disa responded with a chuckle, "Why, of course! The story of romance between Maeve and Kiesha!"

Ignoring their shocked expressions, she pushed open a door and welcomed them inside.

It was a cozy-looking lounge, with piled red velveted mattresses surrounding a short mahogany table at the center of the white marbled floor, and golden ornaments enframing a single large window that allowed streaks of golden sunlight to seep into the room.

As the Dasi and her guests seated themselves, she proceeded to tell them the true tale of Maeve's unintentional betrayal and the eventual lovelorn despair that drove the head of the Dasi to use Ahnmik's black magic to numb her pain, as the Disa poured herself and her guests some herbal tea.

After taking a sip of her tea, she said, "It was perhaps, Kiesha's biggest mistake to banish Maeve and the falcons altogether.", and after seeing the look on the faces of the Cobrianas, "Please, do not misinterpret what I meant to say. You must know that it was Maeve's responsibility to keep the balance between Ahnmik and Anhamirak. Without the falcons or Maeve, it's only logical to assume that the Dasi broke, thus letting the ultimate powers of the two gods to run wild. At least, that was how I was informed."

"Informed?", the Arami of the serpiente spoke. "Who informed you of this?"

The Dasi did not automatically answer him, taking another sip of her tea. "All in due time." she said.

Charis contemplated the story she just heard, and muttered, "It never occurred to me, but...of course, everyone knew about Maeve's role in the Dasi.." Looking up to meet the Disa's gaze, she said, "But with the balance broken, surely something must have happened."

"And something did.", the Disa replied, looking almost sad. "Kiesha ended up inheriting the flow of too much magic that would do more damage than help. With that kind of power, Kiesha could've destroyed the world, and that was when the falcons intervened."

The Serpiente were about to speak, but the Dasi held up her hand to silence them. "Allow me to finish. Ahnmik is different from Ahnamirak, such that the god himself mastered over control whereas your god is all about love and freewill. Being so, the flow of Ahnmik's magic was able to subdue itself, and thus the falcons were not affected. However, they saw what Kiesha was capable of, so they had no choice, I suppose, but to take away half of the serpiente magic."

"What?!", Zane roared.

He was quickly followed by the protests of his family members as well as his guards.

The Dasi sighed. The serpiente were famous, after all, for not holding back their emotions. To add to that, the feud between the serpiente and the falcons was well-reknowned. Their reactions were only to be expected.

"You can fume about that one little detail, or you can hear the rest of the story. Which one do you choose?", the Disa responded. If she had the reserve of the avians, she might've waited for their anger to subside on their own, but she didn't want to waste too much time on that.

Charis took a deep breath and said, "Continue."

And so the Dasi did. "Now, the falcons, although having taken away half of your magic, were unable to destroy it. So, they took in a little human girl, raised her as the complete opposite of your kind, and gave it to her. The power, in turn, gave her the second form of a hawk. That little girl is Alasdair, the first of the avians..", she said, and did not wait for the serpiente to react.

"The falcons instructed her to raise an Avian empire with morales and reservation, so that the both of your kinds will never find anything in common with one another. Nevertheless, there was always this certain attraction between your kinds that allowed Alasdair to invite Kiesha and the others to her keep. This was also the time when Araceli of the falcons decided to intervene again."

The Disa looked at all their astonished expressions and said, "You have fought with the avians for far too long, and for what? Have you not attempted to find out the truth of the war for yourself, despite what the truth may hold in store for you? Are you so keen on blaming the avians for starting the war as they have blamed you?"

Shaking her head, she went on, "Neither kind has started it. Araceli used the magic of persuasion on Kiesha so that she would stab Alasdair in the back, and again on the avian guards to retaliate aggressively. I suppose you know what happened next."

"That...is absurd. I cannot begin to even... So the falcons started it.", Zane said, his words overlapping one another.

The Disa shook her head, and said, "We will not be pointing fingers at anyone in this matter. After all, it has all stemmed from the arrival of Leben, and he is not one to be messed with. What's important now is to figure out a solution--and we have."

The Serpiente looked at her in surprise. "And what would that be?", Irene inquired.

Before the Dasi could respond, one of her Mistari guards walked into the room. "The falcons have arrived, and _she_ is ready, your highness.", he stated, and left the room once more after an affirmative nod from the Mistari Disa.

She turned back to face her guests. "Perhaps it is time we paid a visit to Danica Shardae."

* * *

Took me a while to make this chapter. I had to change a few stuff here, so as to fit my version of the story, like it was Ailbhe instead of Galen that appeared at the first meeting. Galen's protective of Irene, I'm sure, but I'm giving Ailbhe a bit of a bigger role here.

RxR if you can! XD


	2. Danica's Decision

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Hawksong or the Kiesha'ra series. Amelia Atwater-Rhodes does._

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**The New Priestess**

_2. Danica's Decision_

* * *

Danica paced the room back and forth. The elegant and conservative bodice of her pearly-white gown clung to her torso, while her skirt flowed around her legs, long enough to conceal her silver gladiator sandals. It was a gift from Eleanor the night she came back from the battlefield, after having sung Gregory Cobriana to his peaceful death with the words of the hawksong lullaby.

She arrived at the Mistari Lands just the night before, after being secretly summoned by a falcon woman. The falcon lured her to the lands by saying it was for the best of Danica's people. With that in mind, the princess took flight, without alerting any of her guards as instructed. Not even Andreios.

The Mistari Disa told her all about the serpiente legends and the falcons' interference in both the true origins of Alasdair's second winged form as well as the war that lasted for decades.

She was also told of the final solution to the ongoing chaos, and what she had to do to make it work.

Danica was no warrior like those who have died from the battle, but she would do anything to make everything right once more.

She leaned against a lavender silk cushion, and closed her eyes.

What she was about to do will end every conflict that has surfaced from past mistakes.

That was what she was told, but despite that, Danica cannot help but tremble at the prospect of doing it herself. Can she pull it off? Can she, really?

Danica put her hands over her heart, trying to steady its beating. "It's for the best. It's for the best.", she muttered to herself over and over again. Then she felt the slightest bit of regret and remorse that they weren't able to do this earlier.  
If they did, would her father be able to survive the ambush? Would her sister be able to live long enough to remain heir to the throne? Would Vasili still be alive to this day?

Would she have to hold Gregory Cobriana in her arms as he died?

She opened her eyes at the sound of the door opening, and felt as if she nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight of the Mistari Disa and her serpiente guests entering the room. She stood up straight, looking away as their coloured gazes found her.  
From the corner of her eye, she was able to distinguish the Arami from the rest, being the most intimidating person among the group. Just as she was about to observe him some more, she was also suddenly aware of him looking over her form from head to toe with visible interest in his scarlet eyes.

Danica Shardae tried to gather up her wits and composure to keep herself from blushing, but failed.

Judging from the smirk directly given from across the room, she was pretty sure Zane Cobriana was aware of her discomfort.

"I'm sorry, but what does _she _have to do with all of this?" a female serpiente guard inquired, glaring at her. Adelina made no effort to make herself sound friendly for the avian.

Danica looked at her, but didn't know what to say.

"She's the solution." the Mistari Disa answered for her. "Why don't we all sit down as we discuss?"

"She...She's the solution??? What do you mean?" Charis Cobriana asked, taking one good look at the future Tuuli Thea.

Danica cowered from her sapphire eyes, and said nothing. They wouldn't believe it if the truth came from her mouth, so she decided to leave the story-telling to the Mistari Disa herself.

"There is, apparently, more to Danica Shardae here than meets the eye." she said, grinning. "It's an extremely rare case, but I believe we have found the reincarnate of Alasdair herself."

Once again, the serpiente were shocked by the startling revelation.

"Reincarnate? But...how would you know? As far as I know, Alasdair died at a much younger age. How can you absolutely tell that Danica is the reincarnate??" Irene asked.

Danica felt uncomfortable of being the object of their scrutiny, and tried to break the ice by saying, "Well...when I was much younger, an ancient falcon by the name of Syfka came to visit the Hawk's Keep. She dates back to the time of..err..Kiesha and Maeve, and since she was one of the falcons who raised Alasdair, I suppose she recognized some traces of Alasdair in me somehow."

"Even if you are the reincarnate of Alasdair, how would that make you the solution to the problem at hand?" Zane asked. He spoke as if his question was of casuality, not sounding the slightest bit accusing, and for some odd reason, Danica took some comfort from it.

She looked over to the Mistari Disa, who took it from there. The tiger empress looked over them one by one, before announcing, "In the past, the falcons could not figure out a way to destroy the avians' half of the serpiente magic. Now, there is."

The serpiente stared at the tigress in awe, eager to know more.

"However, the only way for it to be destroyed is by placing all that magic into a suitable carrier. When the falcons first found Alasdair, it was by sheer luck that she was able to possess all that magic and wield it as her own. Now, at least, we have Danica...the reincarnate of Alasdair; as well as a suitable carrier for the magic... Of course, there's a price to pay for this solution...to destroy the power, you must destroy the carrier."

Danica looked down, refusing to meet their gazes.

"So..." Zane said, but stopped. He swallowed hard.

For once, Zane Cobriana couldn't think properly.

He was always fascinated in Danica Shardae from the moment he first saw her, sleeping in a fur-lined cotton blouse and a pair of white lambskin pants. He meant to kill her, but his youthful heart at the time forbade him from destroying something so exquisite. The cuts on her face and arm made him realize that it was neither his or Danica's fault that the war lead to the deaths of many. After she turned away from him in her sleep, he left the Keep, feeling somewhat dejected by the gesture, even if she wasn't even conscious at the time.

He also met Eleanor on his way out of the Hawk's Keep, and because of her unavian-like adventurous and quirky side, she became his personal spy in the avians' territories. From every mission that he has given her, he would ask for random facts about the avian princess, and the more he was told about Danica, the more he wanted to get to know her.

And when he has finally managed to arrange peace talks within the Mistari lands, the voice in the back of his mind told him that maybe, just maybe, he may be able to get that chance...but then the news about the broken Dasi, the formation of avians, and now, the specific solution....

If Danica were to die, giving her life to save both the avians and serpiente, that chance would be forever crushed.

There was something about it that he found disturbing and upsetting at the same time.

Danica watched the range of emotions on Zane's face shifting every now and then. She was intrigued by how they all seemed to be related to regret and anguish.

She decided not to question it.

The Mistari Disa looked at her and asked, "Are you sure you're ready?"

Danica felt uneasy, but she had already slept on it, and has made her decision even before the Disa and the serpiente entered the room. "Yes." she said, glad that her voice neither cracked or trembled. "I'm ready."

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Oh wow! Another chapter in a day! Woot woot!! XD

RxR


	3. A Stolen Kiss

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Hawksong or the Kiesha'ra series. Amelia Atwater-Rhodes does._

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Quote of the day:

"_What the imagination seizes as Beauty must be truth, whether it existed before or not._"

-- John Keats

(LOL, I bought a book of Keats' poems. I irritate my friends by reading them out loud.)

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**The New Priestess**

_3. A Stolen Kiss_

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_At the Hawk's Keep_

"Danica?" Andreios' voice called from behind the door, as he knocked.

It had been nearly a full day since he last saw Danica Shardae. At first, he thought she was just nervous at the prospect of meeting the serpiente for the first time and was preparing herself in whatever way she could, but Danica had never been the type to hide away for too long.

He didn't hear a single sound coming from inside, and knocked louder. "Danica? Are you in there?"

'What if something happened to her?', he immediately thought.

Hearing no answer, he opened the door, saying "I'm entering.", but found that the princess had already gone.

Abruptly, the head of the Royal Flight turned to question the two guards patrolling the corridors for news about her. Neither one witnessed her leaving the Hawk's Keep.

There was something strange about the whole scenario; there was no way Danica could have been forced to be taken hostage from the Keep without being noticed by a guard or a bystander. At least, not on a day when everyone was wary about the meeting about to take place in the Mistari lands.

Who knew what the serpiente had up their sleeves?

And yet...if the serpiente were planning to ambush the avians at a time like this, they wouldn't have bothered using Irene Cobriana as a peace offering so that they could secure a meeting within the Mistari lands. Doing so would only unsettle the avians enough to make them extra cautious of any suspicious move made in the Keep.

Andreios then went back into Danica's bedroom to look for more hidden clues. The vase that they had used as a trick in the past to let him know of her leave had been moved. Such a move would mean that Danica left in her own freewill.

But what would make Danica leave her people, her home, at such a crucial time like this?

'_You know I would do anything to end this war._'

Danica's words rang in Andreios' head.

Could that be the reason?

Except, what sort of plan could convince Danica to just go on ahead with it without notifying her most trusted guards? Whatever her reasons may be, Andreios had no choice but to trust her guts.

What kind of man would he be if he did not even trust the woman he loves?

From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of something: It was a feather.

But it was not a feather from Danica's golden hawk wings.

It was a blue-gray feather he recognized.

It was a feather of his own kind.

Andreios unfurled his Demi-form's wings, and took flight.

Not in the direction of the Mistari lands or the Serpiente lands, but the white city of Ahnmik.

* * *

Zane and the rest of the serpiente stood on the patio, watching as the tiger shapeshifters helped prepare Danica Shardae for her ritual. The preparations included meditating underneath a waterfall, which confirmed the cleansing of one's soul, as well as walking around a forest blindfolded, taking in nature's surroundings and heightening the five human senses.

Danica sneezed as she got out from underneath the waterfall, causing most of the serpiente to chuckle. The female guard continued to glare at her as one of the tiger shape-shifters wrapped her in a dark blue cloak to prevent her from freezing. Danica was oblivious to the onlookers.

Her teeth were still chattering, when she asked, "W-W-What's n-n-n-ne-ext??"

The young tiger in charge of preparing her, Myra, giggled in response. "I do believe we're heading to the Mistari jungle, milady." her adolescent voice chirped.

Danica nodded in acknowledgement and let the young woman lead the way.

"Zane."

The prince of the serpiente turned around to meet his sister's gaze.

"Do you really think we should just let Danica take up all of our burdens by herself?" she asked. It was obvious to Zane that Irene was troubled by the prospect that the avian princess would have to die to end the conflict.

Why wouldn't she, Zane thought, especially when Eleanor told them of Danica's decision to sing to Gregory Cobriana so that he would not die alone. That piece of news gave Irene the courage to visit the Hawk's Keep unarmed.

Zane turned to look back at the avian in the distance as the young tigress blindfolded the princess.

"I...don't know." he said.

He would do anything to end the war, but to end it at the price of the avians' one true heir's life seemed entirely...unjust.

Neither was the war, but was this truly the only way to end the war?

Could it not end on more peaceful terms so that the minimum of deaths can be acquired?

"Who cares if the hawk dies? The avians' magic belongs to us anyway." Adelina spoke up.

Zane frowned at her remark, and started walking away from the group.

"Where are you going?" Adelina asked, worried.

"For a walk." he replied gruffly, and shapeshifted into his King Cobra's form.

* * *

"Okay...this isn't so bad.." Danica kept trying to reassure herself as she walked through the jungle, careful not to trip over anything or bump into a tree.

The young tigress had left the avian princess to fend for herself in the wilderness, relying on her instincts and senses only.

With her blindfold covering her eyes, she didn't see the cobra slithering closer and closer behind her. She felt a sudden chill, but decided to brush it aside by singing to herself.

"It starts in my toes, makes me crinkle my nose. Wherever it goes, I'll always know that you make me smile, please stay for a while now. Just take your time wherever you go.", she sang to herself.

She didn't realize that someone else could hear her. If she knew, she would never have opened up her mouth in the first place.

As self-conscious as she was about her own appearance, she would be absolutely mortified if someone heard her voice.

And someone did. It was Zane Cobriana, of all people.

She didn't see him change back to his human form, but she did hear him when he suddenly said, "Nice voice."

Danica swiftly turned, trying to see where the voice came from. "Who's there?" she asked.

Zane rolled his eyes, and sarcastically said, "It's me, your worst nightmare."

"Z-Zane Cobriana??? How did you know that you're the subject of my worst nightmares??" Danica stuttered, accidentally letting slip her curious side.

Zane winced, feeling insulted. He was merely joking anyway. He didn't expect her to confirm it.

"I didn't realize the princess of the avians actually dreamt of me..." he said, trying to direct the conversation in his way.

Danica was still wary of his presence, twitching everytime he made a sound. "I don't, really. Not all the time." she said, thinking perhaps that if she kept him talking, he would be too distracted to hurt her.

Somewhere near, Danica heard him laugh. She thought she heard him mutter, "Not all the time, huh?" under his breath, but she couldn't be too sure.

For a while, he kept silent, making Danica ponder whether he was about to strike her or not.

"Why are you doing this? It's not like you didn't have a choice. You could easily just walk away from this, but you didn't...Why?"

Danica nearly jumped at the sound of his voice, but didn't say anything. It was the last thing she expected to hear from him.

"I guess...I would just do anything in my willpower to end this war." she answered finally.

She then felt fingers caressing the side of her face; she didn't even notice him move close. She tensed at the contact, but felt a tingle go down her spine.

What was Zane doing? Was Zane about to kill her there and then?

No, Zane wouldn't kill her. If he did, the sacrifice that she was about to make would be rendered useless. Killing her at that moment wouldn't end the war; it would just give the avians even more reason to avenge her death.

"Zane...W-What are you doing?" she asked.

Self-defense wouldn't work in this type of situation, not when it was against the feared Arami of the serpiente.

Being blindfolded didn't help her, either.

"I thought I knew you once. Spoiled, ignorant, and blind to suffering. Then I hear that the pristine Danica Shardae knelt in the blood and filth of the battlefield to sing a lullaby for my brother to help him pass the time. It was then that I realized that there was more to you than I see here." he whispered. He twirled a finger around a lock of her blonde hair, amazed at the silkiness of its texture.

Danica was too shocked to give him a reply; how had he known about that event? She couldn't begin to comprehend.

His hand lingering on her cheek was distracting, too.

Zane couldn't see her eyes, but he could easily see her starting to redden like she had just awhile ago.

"Blushing, Danica?" he asked, bemused. The answer was obvious, but he seemed to find it entertaining to see her flustered even more.

His eyes moved to her lips.

Zane was never the type to hesitate, and so, without warning, he leaned in to kiss her.

It was just a soft, chaste kiss; Zane would've gone for something more passionate if not for the voice in the back of his mind reminding him that Danica had been raised as an avian. Nevertheless, he found her too irresistable in that particular moment to consider stopping himself altogether.

Danica's mind went blank, and just stood there as still as a statue. Puzzled, Zane broke off the kiss, but she still wasn't moving.

"Dani--" he was saying, but before he could continue, Danica fainted.

He carried her over to a tree to sit her down, but before he could walk away to look for help, Danica regained her consciousness.

"What happened?" she asked, rubbing her temples.

Zane stared at her. "I kissed you...and you fainted." he said, as if he were still trying to figure out what just happened.

"Oh." She said, feeling dumbfounded. She turned red once more at the implication of his words.

Finally, Zane couldn't hold it in any longer. He burst out laughing, sitting himself down next to her. "I can't believe you just fainted from a kiss..." he said, incredulous.

Danica pouted. "Well, for your information, it wasn't yours to take in the first place..." she retorted.

Inside, she was wondering why she was letting her guard down around Zane. She should be afraid of him, with all the rumors she heard about him, but she wasn't.

Maybe it was because of the blindfold.

"Especially not my first kiss.." she went on quietly, but Zane heard her.

"Your first kiss? You're serious?" Zane exclaimed in disbelief. He laughed out loud some more, and Danica eventually laughed along with him.

Was this sort of preparation affecting her senses, and not improving them? she wondered.

"I guess it's my last kiss anyway, so I guess I shouldn't mind." Danica said as an afterthought.

Zane quieted.

Danica was about to ask if he was alright, when she felt his hand on hers.

"Thank you." he said. "I regret not having the chance to get to know you some more, but I'm lucky to have this to remember you by."

It sounded so genuine that Danica curled her fingers around his in response. "You're welcome."

* * *

Song featured: Bubbly by Colbie Caillat

Chapter 3!! ^^

Thanks for the reviews!!!

Maybe I'm making them move too fast, but I can't help it! I want to see more Danica X Zane interaction, even as the writer of this fanfic!!! Don't worry though, I'll move the story along in the next chapter...


	4. Letters of Final Farewells

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Hawksong or the Kiesha'ra series. Amelia Atwater-Rhodes does._

* * *

Quote of the day:

"_Take care of the minutes,_

_for the hours will take care of themselves._"

-- Philip Dormer Stanhope

* * *

**The New Priestess**

_4. Letters of Final Farewells_

* * *

Her encounter with Zane Cobriana must've been a dream.

There was no way that Danica had said all those things to Zane Cobriana himself. Especially when she took off her blindfold to realize that he had already gone.

That pretty much deduced that she was just hearing things, right? Perhaps that was the purpose of that particular preparation.

To battle your inner demons.

Danica sighed. She couldn't deny that the touch of his skin, as cool as a snowflake's kiss, couldn't have come from her imagination. How could she when touching, even the briefest of contact, was so rare among her kind. She raised her hand to touch her lips. Where was her composure when she needed it the most?

She could have just easily pushed him away, but she didn't.

Then again, she had never been kissed before, so that kind of reaction is only to be expected from those who are inexperienced in the...er, department of intimacy.

Danica played with her food as her thoughts contradicted one another.

After the final preparation, everyone headed off to the food court to have dinner. The tigers had decided to ban serving poultry for the night, but managed to provide other kinds of meat for the others as well.

She has heard stories about the serpiente being more open and freer in contact, but did that kind of gesture extend to an avian as well?

What reason did Zane have to kiss her on impulse anyway? Danica went pink at the memory, and took a huge gulp of her drink.

However, in the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the serpiente guests entering the food court, and had to spit it all out to prevent herself from choking.

Everyone laughed, as Danica lowered her head in shame. Back at the Hawk's Keep, she would've been looked down upon, but the tigers were almost as free-spirited as the serpiente and were more likely to steer towards indifference or humor rather than taking offense in response to her little mishap.

Zane Cobriana made no effort to hold in his laughter as the serpiente group as well as the Mistari Disa and Dio made their way to her table.

Adelina only disliked the avian more with the sudden change in direction of Zane's attention. Ever since he got back from his 'walk', she had been trying seduce him in every way that worked on him in the past, but for some reason unfathomable to Adelina, Zane remained oblivious to her advances this time.

In fact, Zane appears to be more distracted lately.

As Adelina rolled her eyes at the avian's clumsiness, she felt a nagging suspicion eating away at her that suggested Zane JUST might be attracted to the hawk.

"Danica Shardae! I heard you completed your course." the Mistari Disa said, as the group sat at her table.

"Well...yes, I have." Danica replied, trying not to look in Zane's eyes as the prince sat directly across from her.

Danica had the sinking sensation that Zane was smirking at her, as if he were intent on reminding her that what had happened in the woods was most certainly not an accident, nor a make-believe.

"And did you find it...exhilarating?" Zane asked, trying to sound innocent.

As Danica faced him to answer his question, she saw that he had, in fact, been smirking just as she had guessed.

"Some parts.." she said in a small voice, taking a bite out of an apple.

Zane grinned at her answer, showing his pearly-white teeth and fangs. "I can only imagine.." he said, making her blush again.

Irene and Charis stared at the two in amusement, but were both aware of the hostility being given off by Adelina directed specifically at Danica.

Charis cleared her throat, and asked, "Danica, seeing as you're willing to do all of this for us all, is there anything we could do to pay you in return?"

All eyes turned to Danica.

"Umm...I suppose it would be nice if you promised not to attack my people once the avians' power had been relinquished. I mean, after the power gets destroyed along with, well, me, they would all become human, and they wouldn't be able to fly anymore, so you can pretty much guess that they won't be threatening your kind anytime soon." she said, thinking carefully.

She then looked over to Zane, since he was the future Diente of his people.

Zane's eyes softened at her words, and answered, "You have my word."

"This is wonderful!" The Mistari Disa suddenly exclaimed. "This kind of mutual agreement could just easily bring about the end of the feud altogether as well as bring about a brand new beginning for both kinds."

The tigers smiled in agreement with their empress, looking as though they were sharing a secret. No one, but Zane, could guess that the tigers looked as though they had something to hide. Zane frowned in suspicion, but decided to keep it to himself as the tigers have always been well known for being the wisest among all shapeshifters.

Danica forced herself to smile. On the inside, she was wondering how Andreios and her mother would feel when they found out about what was to happen in a matter of few hours...

Something clicked in her brain, and she quickly looked over to the Disa. "Mistari Disa, I was wondering...may I send a letter to my people to notify them of what I have to do using your messenger? He need not give it to them right away but after the ceremony this midnight." she requested.

"Why, of course, you can. Fervio can fly there straight away just before the ritual. He can always come back on horseback anyway." The Mistari Disa agreed, sending a maid to fetch a pen and a few sheets of paper.

Danica smiled back at her, feeling grateful.

A few minutes later, the maid returned with the necessary equipment, and Danica stared at the blank page, gripping the feathered quill as she thought of what to write.

It was difficult for her to concentrate to have so many people watching her, especially those not of her own kind. If only Rei was there to give her advice...but he wasn't.

This was something only she can do.

* * *

'_To whom it may concern,_' she started.

Hastily, she crossed it out. Avians were known for their formality and distance, but she's about to die anyway, so surely a few informalities were acceptable.

_Dear Mother and Andreios,_

_The Mistari and the falcons have come up with a solution that will altogether halt the war between the avians and serpiente. It would put a stop to the endless years of bloodshed over a misunderstanding made in the past. __It is the time for that solution to be put into effect immediately. __However, my sacrifice will be needed for it to work. I will leave it to the Mistari to explain to you the details, as I cannot explain it all in this letter. _

_You both know me well enough to know that I would do anything to end this war; and for that, I have made my decision. __If everything goes according to plan, by the time you receive this letter, I would have already fulfilled it and that, in my greatest hopes, I have managed to end the war with it._

_I have also made a negotiation with the serpiente, so fear not of what is to come after my death. You may think me unwise of making these kinds of decisions, but, strange as it is, I trust that they would stick to their word, and on my behalf, I hope that you would trust me with this._

_My last request is that, even if it didn't work out at all, I ask that you must not avenge my death. I would like the assurance that my death would still manage to accomplish something in itself. _

_Perhaps it is too much to ask for, but it is all I ask._

Danica gripped at the quill once more as she struggled to figure out the perfect way to end the letter.

She looked up to see Zane's sympathetic eyes and encouraging smile. It told Danica that he had read everything she just wrote.

Gripping the pen once more, she ended the letter:

_Love,_

_Danica Shardae_

* * *

A/N:

I don't know if the letter was alright, as I don't really write letters. I'm more into IMs and emails, thank you very much. I have written letters to penfriends in the past, but that was in elementary school. LOL

Anyway, the next chapter is called: "The Sacrificial Ceremony", so I guess you could pretty much figure out what's going to happen next.

Thanks for the reviews again:

QuickStar, orlibluver, and Thelittlehope !!!

I really appreciate it!! XD


	5. The Sacrificial Ceremony

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Hawksong or the Kiesha'ra series. Amelia Atwater-Rhodes does._

* * *

Quote of the day:

"I pray you bear me henceforth from the noise and rumour of the field, where I may think the remnant of my thoughts in peace, and part of this body and my soul with contemplation and devout desires."

-- William Shakespeare

(This quote seemed appropriate.)

* * *

**The New Priestess**

_5. The Sacrificial Ceremony_

* * *

_On the outskirts of Ahnmik_

It was way before Andreios had managed to trespass the boundaries of Ahnmik when words spoken with clarity were voiced in his mind.

"Alas, the return of Araceli's one true heir without the grant of being found. To what service do we owe this reunion with a runaway prince?"

Rei slowed the movement in his wings to make a landing, and said, without moving his lips, "Syfka, your falcon feather was found in the very bedroom of my princess right after her disappearance. What reason have you to intrude upon us at a time of preparations for the meeting in the Mistari Lands?"

As he used telepathy to communicate with the falcon, his brown set of sparrow wings morphed into that of a peregrine's. His once dull brown eyes illuminated a startling blue that would put the sky to shame, as highlights of varying tones of cobalt streaked through his chestnut brown hair.

Syfka, the falcon he had been conferring with, appeared over the treetops in the distance, making her way over to him. Her subtle approach only made her appear even more intimidating than she already did.

He didn't have to wait for her to land to make a response, as she made her egotistical statement without making a single sound,

"Why, it is the very same reason why the avians and the serpiente are meeting one another at the Mistari's: To end the war and make peace. After all, you can only do so with our help."

* * *

"The chamber below us is where you will gather all the magic of the avians. You will jump off the ledge once midnight strikes so that Cjarsa and Araceli can both dive into Ecl once again to manipulate fate. In mid-air, all that magic will enter you, and when that moment comes, just remember how your preparations went by so as to allow your mind to wander while your subconsciousness takes over. Okay?" The Mistari Disa announced.

"Okay." Danica replied.

Perhaps it had happened too fast for all of it to happen in a day, but decades of war were more than enough for it to be justified.

Over her dress, Danica wore a golden-bronze robe that matched the colour of her almond-shaped eyes to keep herself from getting cold. She clasped her hands together, trying not to make her palms sweaty. She was fraught with nerves, and every second the clock ticked only reminded her how she was getting closer and closer to her destiny.

In the chamber the Mistari Disa mentioned were the two feared falcons of Ahnmik. Araceli stood on the right side of it, whereas Cjarsa stood on the left. They were too busy focusing on their control on magic to notice the group of serpiente that stood at the far back of the chamber, glaring at them.

Araceli looked up all of a sudden, and looked directly at Cjarsa. It was then that they looked as though they were communicating with one another without using words.

Cjarsa eventually let out a sigh and shook her head at the falcon across from her.

"Now is not the time, Araceli.", she said, loud enough only for the people in the chamber to hear.

"What are you--", Adelina started, but Zane shot her a look, and she instantly quieted.

Zane did not want to mess with the falcons at such a critical time when their help was needed. He disapproved of having to ask for the falcons' aid, but only they could wield the magic needed for the ritual to work.  
The serpiente had no time to practice the mystical magic of Ahnamirak during the war when all they could think of was vengeance, and thus no one, not even the free-spirited Dancers' Guild, knew how to perform the ancient serpiente magic. If they did, perhaps they wouldn't need the falcons to intervene yet again.

Instead, Zane decided to focus his attention on Danica Shardae.

Reincarnate or no, Danica was stunning. Her slim-fitting gown accentuated her figure in all the right places, although a tad bit more conservative compared to the way the dancers dressed back at the nest.  
She was a golden beauty--a rare image of Alasdair if she had lived long enough to reach her adult years. Danica, in Zane's opinion, had the closest resemblance to the chaste Greek goddess of the hunt, just as he had thought when he saw her for the first time. Now, at the age of nineteen, he found her even more exquisite than he'd seen her last, if that was possible.

As if on cue, Danica's eyes met his, and her face instantly flushed in embarrassment, but didn't look away.

_Cobriana eyes_.

She had heard countless rumors of how their garnet gaze can be used as a lethal weapon, how it could easily hypnotize its victim to draw a knife over his or her own throat.

Looking at them now, all Danica could see was sympathy and respect in them. She never ceased to find it amazing how she could easily tell from his eyes how he felt at that moment. Avian reserve helped train avians to keep their composure, and uphold a stoic poise that revealed nothing of their emotions.

Should she use her composure at a time like this?

Danica shook her head at her own thoughts. She had nothing to hide away from, now.

No reason to hold back, but somehow, she still was.

If she didn't, she would have already broke down into tears and hysterics by that time. After all, she wasn't strong like the warriors that walked across the bloody battlefields their whole lives. Andreios taught her how to defend herself, but she knew that deep down, it would only work if the Royal Flight eventually intervened.

Danica wasn't strong, but can she be strong enough for this?

Death was coming to claim her, and it would only do so if she were willing.

She broke the eye contact, and looked ahead at nothing in particular. She stepped onto very edge of the ledge. Her hands balled into fists, her fingernails burrowing into her palms. She let out a sigh, and relaxed them.

However terrified she might be at that moment, she could not back out. Especially when so many people, so many _lives_, depended on her.

She would not need to sing to dying soldiers in her arms anymore. She would not need to see the pain and grief caused by the war anymore. She would not have to wake up screaming from her nightmares of the war, _and_ end up waking up in the middle of the war itself anymore.

No more, because peace had come at last.

"Do you have any last words?" The Mistari Disa asked, her tone sad, but firm.

Danica looked back momentarily, and turned to the chamber once more. She swallowed hard.

Why not? she thought, as she drew in a deep breath, and sang out loud enough for the people in the chamber to hear:

"I'll make a wish for you,

and hope it will come true

that life will just be kind

to such a gentle mind.

If you lose your way,

think back on yesterday.

Remember me this way...

Remember me

this way."

Her voice resonated throughout the whole auditorium, overshadowing even the toll of the bell that came after the song had been sung.

On her cue, Danica leaped off the ledge, spreading her golden hawk wings, and waited for the overwhelming flow of Kiesha's magic, as both of the falcons in the chamber raised up their hands and wings to summon it.

And then it came.

A clash of mysterious golden dust clouds seeping from the windows struck her in mid-air. The overall feeling was soothing and somehow poignant, almost the slightest bit ticklish, as if it were reminiscent to the best feeling Danica had once experienced in the past, but by a much greater degree.

In the serpiente's and falcons' perspective, Danica was fully immersed in the golden dust, shining so brightly that they had to partially shield their eyes away from the blinding sight.

For a moment, Zane wanted to run and jump up to grab her before she could fall, but it almost seemed as though the peculiar shimmery dust shrouding her was holding her up. In fact, she looked as if she were somehow floating in it, her wings barely flapping anymore due to the sudden current.

She was going to die, it occurred to him, and before he knew it, tears sprung from his garnet eyes at the beautiful but tragic sight.

He did not know if Danica was in pain or what she was going through at the time, but it was obvious that the avians' half of the magic was slowly entering her, and pretty soon she will be destroyed along with it.

"Danica Shardae" he said in a whisper as a last-minute vow, "I will never forget you."

* * *

Back at the Hawk's Keep, all airborne avians were being controlled to land by something unknown, and then being force-changed back into their human forms. Before they could even comprehend what was happening, magic was being drained from them in visible golden swirls of dust. The feathers on the back of their necks and in their hair were disappearing by the second. Their senses dulled to those of a normal human being, and their heartbeat rate slowed to a normal pulse.

They could all feel the difference in their way of existing, that something was simply _not_right. They tried to shapeshift back into their second forms, but couldn't. Some cried and some screamed out in frustration, a reaction that their avian reserves would've held back, but in this kind of scenario, desperate situations call for desperate situations.

There were shouts of "My feathers are gone!" and "I can't fly!" echoing throughout the Keep and market, but most of all:

"What on earth is happening to us?"

Of course, being so far away from the Mistari Lands where the major events were taking place, they wouldn't know. They temporarily forgot the recent news of Danica's disappearance being spread about just a few hours ago, and if they hadn't, perhaps they would've been able to put the pieces together.

Only the present Tuuli Thea, Nacola Shardae, couldn't. No matter how well she shields herself from everyone and even from her own daughter, Danica will forever be her topmost priority. After all, Danica was all that was left of her family, and she was someone who Nacola knew full well would make a great queen someday.

"Where are you?" she muttered to the steady wind blowing in the direction of the Hawk's Keep, as though it were Danica's way of speaking for herself.

She would never, in her wildest dreams, guess that it could be Danica's way of saying goodbye, and yet at the same time, she did. She also knew that Danica would do anything to end the war, and the strange kind of cold silence that seeped into Nacola's heart somehow managed to prove that Danica did, and that whatever price it had in store will be paid.

"Your highness." A servant said, bowing and still managing to keep his composure despite his sudden pale complexion. "An avian from the Mistari who just arrived this evening wishes to speak to you now."

"Bring him in." Nacola's cool tone of a monarch spoke. She had heard of Fervio's arrival, and found it strange when he went to the market just to look around without telling them his specific purpose for coming to their land at such a time.

Fervio, a bulky looking middle-aged man, appeared in the doorway.

He took a bow for her in respect like her servant did, and proceeded to walk towards her before holding out an envelope.

"A letter from Danica Shardae, your highness." came his husky announcement.

* * *

Finally, there was an explosion of bright white light from within the private chamber of the Mistari Lands, that had all of the serpiente guests covering their eyes with their arms from blinding themselves.

The sudden burst of light was only momentary, and in due course, it faded away.

The serpiente lowered their arms, and right before their eyes, they watched as the two falcons helped lower Danica safely back to the ground. Her wings had disappeared the moment all the avian magic entered her.

Her eyes were closed.

"It worked." Cjarsa said, almost in disbelief, but what she said only angered Zane.

"Is that all you care about?" he asked her in disgust.

"Zane.." Irene warned, but he brushed her off.

"Danica's lying there, dead, for all of our sakes, and the least you could do is mourn for her...but instead, you worry about the procedures of the solution!" Zane spat.

His cheeks still betrayed the trails of the tears he shed for Danica Shardae.

The sight of the tranquil body of Danica Shardae lying on the ground will be forever embedded into his mind, and no doubt he will be having countless dreams of his stolen kiss at the forest as well as this very moment.

How could he have let her gone through with this? he wondered.

It was true that the war had to be put to a stop, but why did Danica have to be held responsible for it? She never was the one at fault from the start.

Zane cared about her, he really did.

He did not know to what extent that type of caring may lead to, but nevertheless, he _cared_.

And yet, here he was, fully alive, whereas Danica, on the other hand, was not.

To control himself, he looked away from them altogether, which Araceli was quick to find offensive.

She was about to lash out at him, but Cjarsa silenced her with a hand. "And is that how you think of us falcons?" she asked.

She didn't wait for an answer. She looked down at Danica's body.

"My, she sure was a brave one." she stated, her lips forming a kind smile.

Zane didn't know what to make of her words, and followed her gaze to look down at Danica.

He gasped.

* * *

Sorry for taking so long to upload this chapter. -_-"

I'm writing based on what I can remember from the books, so there might be a few mistakes in this fanfic regarding actual details described in the books.

By the way, what kind of falcon was Syfka again? Was she a gyrfalcon or a peregrine? Hmmm

The song featured in this chapter is 'Remember Me This Way' by Jordan Hill.

Once again, thanks for the reviews, Jane / QuickStar, and orlibluver!!!


	6. Maeve's Legacy

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Hawksong or the Kiesha'ra series. Amelia Atwater-Rhodes does._

* * *

Quote of the day:

"You can live to be a hundred if you give up all the things that make you want to live to be a hundred."

-- Woody Allen

* * *

**The New Priestess**

_6. Maeve's Legacy_

* * *

Danica had no clue what was going on.

Sure, she was able to let her mind wander, and let her instincts take over when the specific time came, just as instructed, but there was something else about the ritual that the Mistari tigers and maybe even the falcons involved were hiding from her.

She could feel the current of Alasdair's magic flowing into her, but that was not all that was happening.

Something inside of her was somehow _triggered_ by the influx of the magic. Something that Danica knew was inside her all along, but just failed to acknowledge.

And _that something_ was being reawakened.

Before she could speculate on the subject further, Danica blacked out as the last speck of golden dust entered her.

Yet still, she was able to dream.

She dreamt of standing in the middle of a dais within a candle-lit theater, dressed in a revealing set of belly dancer's clothes that would cause the entire avian society to look down upon her, but strangely enough, she felt no humiliation or regret for her own choice of clothing.

She was standing as still as a statue for a few minutes before she suddenly swayed in rhythm to the drumbeats that could be heard from the near distance.

Was she dancing? Danica did not know how to dance, but for some reason in this vivid dream, she knew exactly what steps to take and what moves to make.

A person with the distinct figure of a male was watching the dance in front of her, but Danica couldn't see his face properly because of the sudden movements she made in the dance.

Danica did not know what to make of the dream. She has never danced in her entire life, nor has she ever witnessed it.

This dream...these feelings...these memories...they do not belong to her.

Why was she witnessing something that had nothing to do with her?

Or did they?

Danica suddenly halted as her only visible audience held up his hand. She looked up to meet his peculiar eyes, those of a strange light lavender colour, and noticed that they now held obvious interest...and lust.

"How did you find my performance, Leben?" Danica found herself speaking, although it was not of her own voice that she was speaking with.

The man named Leben took a few steps forward, his eyes looking at her from head to toe, savouring the delightful visual being presented to him, and said, "Wonderful....So wonderful that I do believe you deserve a prize in return..."

Danica raised one eyebrow, and then came the strange voice that did not belong to her once again.

"A prize?" she inquired.

"Oh Maeve.." Leben said, reaching up to touch the sides of her face. "I would give you anything just to please you..."

"Well, what did you have in mind??..." Danica/Maeve was saying, but Danica did not hear the man's reply as the dream itself blurred to reveal a new image in its place.

In the next scene, she was standing in a hallway next to another person.

This time, it was a woman with ebony-black hair, and a set of familiar startlingly red eyes.

"How could you do this to me, Maeve?!" the woman berated her.

Her tone was one filled with sorrow and feelings of betrayal. Danica, in the body of Maeve, could feel a type of guilt that she had never felt so strongly about before, gnawing away at her from inside-out.

The intensity of the feeling only made the love Maeve had for the woman even more inevitable.

And the woman standing before her was, no doubt about it, the very ancestor of the Cobriana line.

Kiesha.

"Kiesha, you know why I had to do it...Leben was not a true god, and for him to force us into worshipping him is just....sick. I would've turned him away as soon as I found out, but he was still a powerful man nonetheless. Who knew what he would do to us if we refused?" Maeve's voice explained.

Kiesha, however, just shook her head.

"You just _had to_ seduce him then, did you? You just _had to _dance the Namir-da, the dance we created together, for him, did you?!" Kiesha spat.

Before Maeve's character could explain some more, Kiesha halted her with a raised hand, and said, "No more, Maeve. I cannot bring myself to forgive you for all that has happened."

With that last statement, Danica watched through Maeve's tearful eyes as Kiesha turned around and briskly walked away, her plum-coloured skirt sashaying along with her.

Perhaps Maeve was about to run after her, but the scene once again changed before she could make a single movement, and Danica found herself standing in a village amongst a hustling crowd.

It was sunny and hot, and the people around her were sweating and huffing as they worked hard at their tedious tasks, most of them heading to a particular incomplete structure of a pyramid.

The villagers also avoided her gaze, as though they were too scared to acknowledge her. They were simply human beings, Danica realized.

Danica did not know if she still possessed the body of Maeve, so she walked over to a wide river on the side of the road to inspect her reflection.

Indeed, the person that looked back at her from the mirror-like water current was definitely not her. The body she inhabited had white-blond hair, similar to that of Zane's guards, but had a mesmerizing pair of emerald-green eyes that the serpiente guards' pale green ones could not be compared with. Unlike the rest of the serpiente, however, she still had her usual bronze-like tan that came from spending time underneath the sun.

"Your high priestess." Danica heard someone call out to her.

She turned around and saw a woman in her early forties, holding a hand to her swollen belly.

"I wonder if you could give my unborn baby a blessing." she went on.

Unlike the villagers that passed her by, this woman seemed to respect and admire her at the same time.

"Very well. What will be the name of this child of yours?" Maeve's voice spoke.

"Alasdair, milady." she said, rather chuffed.

Danica was bewildered to find herself moving towards the pregnant woman, without her control whatsoever, and holding out a hand to caress the woman's stomach.

What was Maeve going to do to Danica's very own ancestor?

She murmured a quiet prayer and stood back. "She will do great things." Maeve announced to the woman.

The pregnant woman, in turn, was overwhelmed with joy, and couldn't stop thanking Maeve until her husband called for her.

Danica, on the other hand, was confused. What _had _Maeve done to Alasdair exactly?

Danica had no idea, and before she could come up with one, her dream faded away, and her consciousness fell back into complete oblivion.

* * *

Zane rubbed his eyes before looking at Danica once more.

There was no doubt about it now: He had seen Danica's fingers twitch slightly back in the chamber, and now, in one of the guest rooms at the Mistari Lands, her eyelids fluttered as she tried to open them.

"Where am I now?" she whispered, as though she were talking to herself.

She sounded exhausted and slightly annoyed, but Zane somehow couldn't find the ability to speak at the moment, so Irene spoke for him.

"You're still here." she said, reassuringly.

Danica blinked a few times before she looked at the trio of Cobrianas that now surrounded her. Their guards, the falcons, as well as the Mistari Disa and Dio were nowhere in sight.

After a few seconds, she gasped. "Did all of you die from the ritual as well??"

She sounded so convinced of her own theory that Zane let out a shaky chuckle.

"No, we didn't die. You didn't die. Nobody died." Zane responded softly.

Danica looked thoughtful for a moment. "Does that mean...the solution didn't work?" she asked, hesitantly.

Zane sighed. What the Mistari Disa explained to him about their current situation so far was far too mind-boggling to even contemplate.

With the departure of the royal tigers and falcon empresses to fetch a certain mysterious guest, who knew what else the Mistari and the falcons had up their sleeves?

It was only on Zane's insistence that their two guards accompanied them on the meeting.

He looked over to his own mother for assistance, and Charis explained, "Well, apparently, the solution they mentioned was a farce. They never thought of a way to destroy the magic...it was far too impossible to actually accomplish such a deed."

"Destroying magic would take so much more than sacrificing one's life, especially when it involves half of the magic Anhamirak bestowed upon us. To destroy such a great kind of magic is practically equivalent to destroying the world in its destruction. If that were so, there was no way for it to be considered as a solution. So instead, they thought of another way to end the feud in a much more peaceful way, which, according to them, is to mend the broken Dasi."

It was not until Charis has finished her explanation that Danica had noticed Zane's hand on hers the whole time.

Awkwardly, she pulled her hand away while trying to prevent herself from blushing yet again, and said, "Mend the Dasi? Is that even impossible? If so, how exactly are they going to do that?"

As she asked her question, she saw the three serpiente exchange wary glances before looking back at her.

"Well, " Charis went on. "The part where you inherited all of Alasdair's magic actually worked, so you still have the ability to shapeshift as well as the ability to fly. The other thing that worked is... something none of us, except for the Mistari and falcons, ever anticipated."

Irened finished her mother's explanation for her. "What my mother means to say is that, you still have a major role in making the new solution work. We're all still confused about what we were recently told, but....Danica, have you...been having dreams while you were out-cold just a while ago?"

Danica frowned at the question. It was far too much of a coincidence to be a question.

"Even if I did...what would that have to do with...this?" she said carefully, but the serpiente were quick to catch onto her hint.

Both Charis and Irene widened their eyes at the obvious implication of her words, but did not seem too surprised that they had guessed correctly.

"Danica..." Zane's voice caught her attention. "If you're strong enough to walk, perhaps you'd like to take a look in the mirror.."

Was this a case of deja-vu, or was this something else entirely?

Danica got off of the bed she was lying on, and walked over to the mirror in the corner of the room.

Her clothes had been replaced with a simple cream-coloured dress, but that was not what caught her eye.

In fact, it were her very own eyes that captivated her. Instead of the warm golden-bronze orbs she was used to, her eyes were of a deep shade of green, much darker than those of the serpiente guards', with the further addition of a ring of amber-like yellow surrounding her pupils.

Danica had a feeling that her eyes were not the only thing that's been altered. She remembered the hesitation in Charis' eyes when she told Danica about still being able to shapeshift and fly, but was not specific on the terms in which parts of her remained unchanged.

With a sudden impulse, she moved her hair over to one shoulder to inspect the feathers on the nape of her neck.

There were still feathers, alright, but they are not the same ones that she was used to seeing.

Instead, what she found were pearly-white feathers; feathers she had never seen on any avian, or any falcon, for that matter.

Green eyes, and white feathers.

What was that description of Maeve she was provided with again?

Maeve was a _white_ viper, with _emerald-green_ eyes.

The tints of gold in her eyes as well as the existence of feathers on the back of her neck was very much normal for Danica. The differences in colour, however, were not.

Danica felt as if she were about to black-out once more, so she sat back down on the bed to steady herself.

"What else did the Mistari Disa tell you?" Danica asked, visibly shaken by her own startling revelation.

Charis gave out a sigh. "She told us that you would eventually dream about what had happened in the past, especially after inheriting your ancestor's magic. I don't know any better way to explain this, but in our legends, there is a type of dance called the sakkri. It is performed to see into the future and to be forewarned of possible consequences made from careless mistakes....but what you had done was entirely the opposite. Instead of looking into the future, you had looked into the past. If what we had been told is true, then you most probably have dreamt about Maeve, all because Alasdair's birth had been _touched_ by her magic. To what extent her magic may have caused, we have no idea, except that it is because of that simple touch that you and Alasdair were able to wield such great magic as well as being the very reason why you retained some of her features."

"But that is not all. Originally, the spells made by Maeve were supposed to be deeply buried and hidden within you, but the ritual you had just gone through had reawakened them. The Mistari's reason for lying about the first supposed solution was that you had to be self-sacrificing enough to earn them back in a conscious state of mind, just as Maeve was self-sacrificing to prevent Leben from overpowering her and her people. Now that you have completed the task of regaining Maeve's magic of balance, it has been suggested that the way to mend the broken Dasi, is by reinstating the role of a High Priestess. And you, Danica, are the one and only candidate for that position."

* * *

Whew, another long chapter of further explanations that may or may not differ from the details provided by the Kiesha'ra series.

Anyway, thanks again for the reviews: Jane / QuickStar, orlibluver, Thelittlehope, MyWorldIsLikeARose, and CarnivorousOak !!! It gives me great joy to know that my story is well appreciated.

Oh, and also thanks for the answers of Syfka being an aplomada falcon: Jane / QuickStar, and CarnivorousOak !!!

I hope you guys like this chapter, since I nearly had a writer's block for a moment there.


	7. The White Hawk and Her Guest

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Hawksong or the Kiesha'ra series. Amelia Atwater-Rhodes does._

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Quote of the day:

"It takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it."

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**The New Priestess**

_7. The White Hawk and Her Guest_

* * *

"W-What are you talking about?? I...I can't be a priestess!" Danica stuttered, shocked at the way things have changed.

"I don't know anything about being a priestess, and no offence, I don't really know much about your legends besides what I have been told by the Mistari...and the only avians that do are our scholars...and trust me, I'm no scholar...nor am I a priestess.." she went on, trying to think up ways to excuse herself.

Danica realized she had started to speak gibberish. Perhaps it was due to her mindboggled state that she was unable to think coherently.

Where was this sudden talkativeness coming from? she wondered as an afterthought.

Normally, she would've kept her panic to herself, but for some reason, she felt as though she were out of touch with herself--and her avian reserve.

Irene whistled at her reaction, obviously impressed. "Araceli was right, you've got some kind of white-viper hormones going on in you." she said, bemused. "She mentioned how your curiosity and emotions may overlap your avian reserve at times.."

The other two serpiente shared her expression.

Danica caught Zane's eye and blushed. The glint in his eye had her wondering if what Irene mentioned had anything to do with her not noticing his hand on hers in time just awhile ago.

Come to think of it, Danica thought, she _had_ noticed his hand...she just didn't have the impulse to pull her hand away.

She forced herself to take deep breaths to calm herself down before she asked more questions.

"Does..does that mean I'm somewhat of a serpent now?" she voiced out her worry.

"No," Zane answered, sounding rather miffed. "You're still an avian--a powerful avian, but the only difference is that your hawk's form is..of a different colour now. As well as your eyes."

"That's..it?" Danica asked.

"That's it." Zane reassured her.

Danica sighed. "I guess I'm just overreacting...it's better than being dead, I suppose.."

Her statement was followed by a knock on the door. It was Irene who went to get it.

A Mistari maid curtsied before them, and said, "Milady Danica Shardae, you have a guest.."

* * *

The Mistari maid escorted the white hawk and the serpiente to a private room, before taking her leave.

It was the falcon Syfka who was standing outside the room, appearing as though she were waiting for them.

She seemed to cluck in disapproval at the sight of them, before knocking on the door.

"Come in..." came Araceli's voice, sounding as though she was trying to calm herself after an argument.

Danica let the serpiente enter first, as she wondered to herself who her guest might be.

Was it her mother?

Danica shook her head. Without an avian form, there was no way Nacola Shardae could have reached the Mistari within a single day even if she did ride a carriage.

Deciding that she can't come up with a better idea as to her guest's identity, she walked through the doorway to find out for herself.

The serpiente, reunited with their guards, and the Mistari rulers stood to the left side of the room, while two falcons stayed on the right. One was Araceli, and the other had his back towards her.

The first thing she noticed about him, however, was the pair of peregrine wings cascading over his back that instantly reminded her of her childhood friend.

_Sebastian._

"Who--" Danica found herself asking, but couldn't finish her sentence as the falcon turned around at the sound of her arrival.

Danica's eyes widened in shock at the visitor. "R-Rei???"

She paused. She looked him over once again. _It couldn't be..._

"Who..who are you??" Danica asked hesitantly, afraid to avert her gaze. She sincerely hoped that it was _not _Andreios at all.

If it were Andreios, it would only prove that he had lied to her the whole time.

"Danica, I could explain..." said the familiar voice Danica had grown used to listening to.

Despite her wishful thinking, Danica could not deny that he certainly looks a lot like the Andreios she knew, save for the blue-gray wings and the blue streaks in his hair. It was still Andreios in some way, but all the things that had happened recently only told Danica otherwise.

Andreio took a step forward, but stopped in hesitation.

The wary way she perceived him greatly unsettled him, and it wasn't hard for Andreios to detect the hurt in her golden-tinted green eyes.

For a moment, he was speechless. How would he be able to explain himself?

"His name is Sebastian..." Araceli answered for him. "He is my son, which makes him the next heir to my throne."

Danica looked over to her, baffled. "Sebastian?? Then the real Andreios..."

She trailed off, remembering what happened in the past. She saw her childhood friend get bitten by the serpiente soldier. There was no way anybody could have ever survived the venom.

Not until Andreios, she had thought.

She backed against the wall, feeling as though the whole world were about to crumble right at that moment. Thoughts of what she thought she knew about Andreios came crashing in on her as she continued to stare at the falcon in confusion.

Not knowing what else to do, Danica did the only thing she knew that could stop her from feeling hurt of being betrayed.

She hid herself.

"I suppose that was necessary..." she said, her expression revealing nothing.

Without giving him time to react, she turned towards the Mistari. "Would you excuse me for a while? I'm feeling a bit light-headed..." she said.

Despite her genes being fused with those of a serpent, her composure was way stronger than that of an ordinary avian. After the death of Vasili, she had learned to take refuge in it instinctively, especially when it had been such a long time since she broke down into tears and hysterics.

Nevertheless, she began to feel Maeve's instincts nagging away at her, and knowing that she was about to burst any minute, she did all she could to keep her composure from shattering at the very spot.

"Please do." The Disa answered, albeit intrigued with the way things turned out.

The last thing Danica saw before walking out of the room was Zane's gaze following her, filled with an unimaginable kind of pain and worry.

* * *

At the avian princess' departure, Araceli turned over to Syfka. "Did everything go according to plan?" she inquired of her.

"Yes, the falcons are stationed on the outskirts of the Hawk's Keep. No serpiente soldier, no matter how strong, could manage to get past them." Syfka answered, as though she were stating the obvious. "The avians are safe, until their princess finishes mending the broken Dasi."

"Very well..", Araceli then faced the Mistari empress. "We'll also be having more reinforcements sent here, in case anyone tries to infiltrate this palace."

"What do you mean by that? No serpiente is foolish enough to try to ambush Danica at the Mistari Lands." Zane spoke out loud. After all, if such an ambush were possible, they wouldn't have decided to hold a peace meeting there in the first place.

Araceli almost smiled at the serpiente's naivety. "We do not fear for your soldiers, Arami. With the unleashing of such great magic in one go and having it all contentrated in one being, we have no doubt that ancient tribes hungry for power will come looking for her. Did you honestly think that it was only the falcons' who were banished for the practice of dark magic?"

Zane had the urge to hiss at her, if not for the fact that she was, indeed, correct.

"Of course, all we have to do is fend them off until the balance is once again restored." Araceli went on.

"And how long will that take?" Charis asked.

Araceli turned toward the current serpiente queen, with an expression that seemed to say that she had asked the right question.

For there was no definite answer, except: "As long as it takes Danica Shardae to learn how to dance."

* * *

"Mend the broken Dasi?" Nacola Shardae was appalled at the messenger's message. "So we're just supposed to relinquish our second forms? Just because our abillity to shapeshift once belonged to the Serpiente?"

She sat down in her throne, trying to calm herself down. "Did no avian guard manage to follow my daughter to the Mistari Lands?!" she asked in a biting tone.

Neither the messenger, nor the court wanted to answer her.

Instead, a series of continuous knocks on the door was heard, as though someone on the other side was eager to to share the news with the court and the queen.

The Tuuli Thea signaled her servant to go open the door.

"My Tuuli Thea!", the young avian man who had been knocking burst into the room. "We've been surrounded! By the falcons, no less!"

"What?!" the queen and the court chorused together.

"That's not all, my queen! We've an imposter as well!", he continued in hysterics, having completely lost his avian reserve.

He looked over his shoulder, at a group of men restraining a female soldier, walking into the room. He pointed at her in accusation.

"Erica Silvermead, your highness! She's been a falcon all along!" he cried.

Erica Silvermead, though tied up and gagged, remained calm.

One look at her made Nacola Shardae realize that she meant no harm. "Let her speak." she ordered the group of men.

They ungagged the woman, and calmly, but with a firm voice, the falcon said, "My queen, I am no traitor to your kind."

"Then explain why there are so many falcons waiting for us outside?!" The young man interrupted.

Nacola had him silenced.

She then signaled Erica to go on.

"Though I do not know why they're here in such large numbers at a time like this, I do believe they have a logical reason for it.", she stated honestly.

"Don't they always." Nacola muttered under her breath, and turned to her general. "Get the Royal Flight ready. We shall have a conversation with those falcons to see what they're up to."

* * *

Sorry for the really really loooong wait! I was preoccupied with college and didn't really have the time to update. Also, I'm having a bit of a writers' block as to where the story might be going, so I might ask you readers for some opinions from time to time.

Anyway, thanks again for the reviews: QuickStar , orlibluver , Thelittlehope , Shayna Maidel , Transfiguration , Brianna Tyson , HerGoldenWings

Shayna Maidel : About the songs, sorry if it irritated you in some way. I get carried away with music every now and then, and I always thought of avians as the kind of shapeshifters that specialized in singing, whereas the serpiente specialized in dancing.

Transfiguration : You have very good insight. I'll try to patch up all the little things I missed. (I have a bad habit of overlooking them, especially when I get too excited about the developments made in Danica and Zane's relationship....I'm a DxZ fanatic, you see. XD)

P.S: Does anyone know who that quote at the top of the page belongs to?


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